Society & Culture

UGA Franklin College launches ‘Franklin Chronicles’ blog

Athens, Ga. – The University of Georgia Franklin College of Arts and Sciences has launched a blog aimed at encouraging discussion about the role of liberal arts in society while also highlighting innovative research, scholarship and creative endeavors within the college.

The Franklin Chronicles: Arts and Sciences Matters (http://chronicles.franklin.uga.edu/) features news, opinion, announcements and video from the Franklin College and beyond. Curated by Alan Flurry, Franklin College producer and editor, the blog encourages comments from readers as a way to connect the college with a broader audience.

“The arts, humanities, social sciences, biological sciences and physical-mathematical sciences help shape the future of our society; and it is our responsibility to inspire further study and engagement in them,” said Hugh Ruppersburg, interim dean of the Franklin College. “The Franklin Chronicles gives us an exciting new way to share our story with the public.”

Named for Benjamin Franklin by UGA founder Abraham Baldwin, the Franklin College is the oldest, largest and most academically diverse college at UGA, with 84 undergraduate majors and 76 graduate degrees across 30 departments. The Franklin Chronicles is organized around topical themes-arts, health, earth, society, human nature and international topics-that reflect the increasingly interdisciplinary nature of the work conducted at the college and its five academic divisions.

Recent posts include an announcement of a new book published by a Franklin College professor of English, news of a cancer vaccine developed by a Franklin College chemist and information on upcoming performances and art exhibits.

The Franklin Chronicles is mobile-ready for use with smart phones, tablets and other devices; and RSS feeds allow users to receive timely updates on the information that matters to them. The blog also includes links to the Franklin College’s Twitter feed (www.twitter.com/UGAFranklin) and Facebook page (www.facebook.com/UGAFranklin).

“Our goal for this new venue is to foster wider discussions about higher education and society as we highlight and disseminate news from Franklin College and UGA,” Flurry said. “The Internet and social media have created many new access points to scholarship and student achievement, and we have gathered them in one place with the Franklin Chronicles.”

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